‘birdsong’ (november 2009)

it was a girl-
with words he hung back
pensive
waiting to see
what moves were being made

she could defeat him with silence
play Cordelia to his maddening Lear
while unrealizing
that silence was to this magpie mind
a condemnation
the damning with faintest praise

'lovesong' (november 2009)

he fell at her knees
remote, exhausted
spent
felt himself old
a dry heart and head
cooling
but warm in her embrace
her skin singing

a murmur, the feeling
of skin tightening
a rustle of skin
as arms wrap tighter.
he felt himself heavy
a condensation on her
but
she remains resilient
and her nose meets his neck
while his heart resumes its common time

the silence following breaks
is halted
by the flick of hairs
and the bubble of evaporation
her teeth click
as his fingers trace the ridges of her spine
thrumming out a familiar rhythm

he would ask for music
if her body weren't singing

'a failure' (october 2009)

my love how I can't wait
to fail you
to fall blistering into
a raft of melodies
and ride a refrain for the rest of my days
to let my heart be made known
and let my feeble waiting voice
sing soft under your spell
to break down and sink deep
and drown in the ink of your eyes
to do this all
unscripted, unanticipated
when you least need it the most
to say your name
a chorus of wind and rain